What is a Badge?

Open badge standards and how these work on Participate!

Digital badges are a way to visually represent and demonstrate evidence of learning or achievement. They can be earned by completing a course, passing an exam  or achieving a certain level of proficiency in a skill. The benefits of digital badges include:

1. They provide a quick and easy way for learners to showcase their skills and achievements to potential employers or educational institutions.

2. They can be shared easily on social media and online portfolios, allowing learners to demonstrate their knowledge and skills to a wider audience.

3. They can be used to recognize informal learning such as participating in online communities or volunteering.

4. They can be linked to more detailed information such as a transcript or a portfolio of work, providing additional context for the badge and the skills it represents.

5. They can be used to create a sense of accomplishment and motivation for learners, encouraging them to continue learning and developing their skills.

6. They can be used to recognize and reward diverse forms of learning and competencies beyond traditional classroom or academic settings.

7. They can be used as a form of micro-credentialing providing a more flexible and accessible form of recognition for lifelong learning.

Participate's digital badging system is built upon the Open Badges standard. "Open Badges is not a specific product or platform, but a type of digital badge that is verifiable, portable, and packed with information about skills and achievements."

This means that the credential certificates and associated evidence are publicly viewable and shareable. You can use the information found on your badge such as title, issuing organization, dates, credential ID and credential URL to share the badge or upload it to other platforms.

You can read more about the technical specification at openbadgespec.org.

Here are a few resources from our friends at We Are Open about open badges:

Badge Wiki!

Open Badges for Lifelong Learning

Guide to Digital Open Badges

Learn how to create badges on Participate here.